BLM Plats and Field Notes

How to search the BLM website

Note:

This presentation is specifically intended to be printed

out (minus this comment), two slides to a page, and

handed out and discussed at a PLSO or LSAW chapter

meeting.

However, the presentation has been animated and is in

color, so people with more get-up-and-go can haul out a

laptop and projector. Hand-outs are still recommended.

Feel free to tweak the presentation, such as adding an

introduction and conclusion, to improve it or better meet

your chapter’s needs.

Synopsis Accessing the web site

Three record types • Master Title Plats, Use Plats, and Historical Indices

• Survey Plats

• Field Note Records

Field Notes broken down by • Year

• Surveyor

• Boundary (north, west, subdivision)

• Type of survey (original, resurvey)

Each set of Field Notes is in three parts • Introduction – with index

• Survey – notes

• Certificate

Using the index

Searching the field notes

Printing

http://www.blm.gov/or/landrecords/survey/ySrvy1.php

A link can

be found

on the

PLSO

website.

pick your township

NOTE

pick your range

NOTE

Boundary, Survey Year

Survey Type, Year

Survey Year, Type

Surveyor, Survey Year

pick the order by which the field

notes will be displayed

then search

Three basic record types

Use of the historical index and master title/use plat

are beyond the scope of this training.

Historical Index

Master Title/Use Plat

001 is the oldest plat,

002 the next oldest,

etc. -- USUALLY not listed in order

enlarge

reduce reset

Field Note Records

type of year surveyor boundary

survey

type of year surveyor boundary survey

1874 J HOWARD ET AL Subdivision

North

South

original

resurvey

in more detail

field notes are divided in sections

Introduction

Survey

Certificate

Introduction reduce enlarge reset

Paydirt!

Index

Introductions in original field

notes include a title page,

index, and preliminary oaths

for the surveyor and/or his

assistants.

Introductions in newer field

notes include a title page,

index, history of previous

surveys, general information,

and GPS coordinates for (a)

selected corner(s).

7

6

5

4

3

etc.

51

52

50

49

etc.

Note

standard

order of

running

lines

Note

page

number

for each

mile run

Make

note of

the page

numbers

you

need!

A 1963 index.

Note township

boundaries

came first.

A 1963 index.

Note township

boundaries

came first.

Then section

exteriors.

A 1963 index.

Note township

boundaries

came first.

Then section

exteriors.

Then subdivision

of sections,

numerically by

section, with

DLCs mixed in.

These days,

DLCs are

described

separately,

before section

subdivision.

A 1963 index.

Note township

boundaries

came first.

Then section

exteriors.

Then subdivision

of sections,

numerically by

section, with

DLCs mixed in.

These days,

DLCs are

described

separately,

before section

subdivision.

Finally, corner

rehabilitation.

Run each

centerline,

first north,

then west.

Run them

in the

following

order:

OR-WABLM

has recently

begun not

reporting full

centerlines of

quarter

Subdivision of Section

Standard Method •Section

•NE1/4 NE1/4

SE1/4

SW1/4

NW1/4

•SE1/4 NE1/4

SE1/4

SW1/4

NW1/4

•SW1/4 NE1/4

SE1/4

SW1/4

NW1/4

•NW1/4 NE1/4

SE1/4

SW1/4 sections. NW1/4

Survey

volume

page

number

field notes

(index)

page

number

Make note of the

difference between

the two; it is

constant for any

single survey.

page page prev. next

other ways to move between

field note pages

Certificate

Includes a general

description of the

survey, signatures of

surveyor(s), axemen,

and chainmen, and the

approval date.

Printing

print print page screen

These don’t

work properly

for me.

Soooo . . .

set up suitable

temporary file

Printing, Plan B

right

click

Save Picture As

Plan B, continued

navigate to previously

set up location

might as well keep default name

Save

Plan B, continued

Open With

something that opens

.jpg files Windows Picture

and Fax Viewer

(for example)

Plan B, continued

print

Plan B, continued

select all

Plan B, continued